The Trailhead an Offroad Show

Trail Hero 2026 is in the rearview mirror, and JD and Calvin are back from Sand Hollow with stories, opinions, and plenty of good-natured ribbing from the rest of the crew. JD shares how his first trip in the new Jeep Gladiator changed his approach to the build, while the guys trade early reactions to Trail Hero, including vendor row and event security. Meanwhile, Bryan is racing to finish his outrageous 1985 CJ-7 for SEMA, and Andrew joins the conversation with his HEMI-bound Gladiator and Rivian R1T. Between Jeep modifications, overlanding gear, ridiculous winch accessories, and an unexpectedly passionate debate about cooking hot dogs on the trail, this post–Trail Hero catch-up goes exactly where you'd expect The Trailhead to go: completely off the rails.📍 Trails and DestinationsSand Hollow State Park, Utah🛠️ Gear and ToolsAdams Driveshaft – Jeep Gladiator JT Front DriveshaftAdvance Adapters – Atlas Transfer CasesArtec Industries – Jeep JL/JT Long Arm SuspensionBilstein B8 8100 Bypass ShocksFox Tail Lights – Lighting ProductsMetalCloak – Gladiator 4.5" Game Changer SuspensionMopar – Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Steel Front BumperNemesis Industries – Jeep Gladiator Front BumpersNitto Recon Grappler A/T TiresNostalgia – Four-Hot-Dog and Bun Pop-Up ToasterOscar Mayer – Two-Slot Hot Dog and Bun ToasterRock Krawler – Jeep Gladiator JT Rear Coil Spring KitRockJock – Jeep Gladiator Lift SpringsSuper Pacific – X1 Overland CamperTom Wood's – Gladiator Front Driveshaft ConversionTYRI Off-Road LightingWacky 4x4 – Custom Aluminum Winch Fairleads (Hot Lips, Wacky Ta-Ta's, Bull, Skull, Football, and Dog Bone)3W AutoLife – Jeep Gladiator All-Weather Floor Mats🚙 Community ShoutoutsAndrew: Not In The Wild Overland (@notinthewildoverland)Bryan: Beatrice JKU / Init2BuildItCalvin: SRG OffroadEric and TYRI Off-RoadJD: MeAndMyYellowJKNathan the unpaid intern aka MudhornGladiatorRich Klein – Trail Hero🌎 Advocacy & ConservationUtah Public Lands Alliance (UPLA)BlueRibbon Coalition📰 News TopicsSEMA 2026: Truck and Off-Road Brands Drive InnovationSEMA Expands the 2026 Show With a Dedicated Powersports SectionScout Motors' Direct-Sales Dispute With Volkswagen Dealers📅 Events and ResourcesTrail Hero 2026 – September 28–October 3, Hurricane, UtahSEMA Show 2026 – November 3–6, Las Vegas, NevadaSEMA Membership InformationScout Motors – Terra Pickup and Traveler SUV📞 Get involved!Leave us a voicemail! Call 719-408-0132 to be featured on the show.Write a review! Help us get closer to our giveaway at 30 reviews! Write one here!Follow us on Instagram! @thetrailheadpodcastVisit the Site: The Trailhead NetworkTrailhead Gear (Shirts & More): Shop HereDiscounts for Trailheads!TYRI Offroad Lights — Use code TRAILHEAD15 for 15% off.

What happens when your totaled Jeep gets a second life—and your friends discover everything you left behind? JD, Bryan, Calvin, Joe, and Andrew are back with plenty of laughs, questionable decisions, and some off-road headlines that have everyone talking. From Scout's return and Hyundai's ambitious plans to the future of electric off-roading, the opinions are flying. But things really get interesting when the crew pulls back the curtain on sponsorships, SEMA builds, and the truth behind off-road influencers. It's an unfiltered conversation you won't want to miss!📍 Trails and DestinationsSand Hollow State Park, Utah – Trail Hero Riding Area🛠️ Gear and ToolsRotopaX 2-Gallon Diesel Container2015 Jeep Wrangler JK 2-Door WeatherTech FloorLinersZ Automotive Tazer JL MiniNitto Trail Grappler M/T TiresSuper Pacific X1 Truck CamperAmerica's Most Wanted 4x4 – Gladiator HEMI Conversion Package🚙 Community ShoutoutsAndrew – First-time guest and Jeep Gladiator ownerBryan: Beatrice JKU the LunchboxCalvin: SRG OffroadJeff – New owner rebuilding JD's salvaged yellow JKJD: MeAndMyYellowJKJoe – Automotive instructor and fellow wheelerMike: JKTrlFnderNathan the unpaid intern aka MudhornGladiatorNot in the Wild – Fellow wheeler with a Rivian, Gladiator, and kei truckWill – Mr. Carnage, Carnage Motorsports🌎 Advocacy & ConservationUtah Public Lands Alliance (UPLA)BlueRibbon Coalition📰 News Topics🔥 Scout Motors Reveals Mountainside and Trail-Ready Traveler Concepts – Two approaches to Scout's upcoming SUV, from refined styling to serious off-road equipment. The group debates whether the Traveler looks too much like a Rivian or Range Rover.Scout Traveler Production Plans and Harvester Range Extender – Scout's anticipated 2028 production, the appeal of a gasoline range extender, and the frustration of waiting for a vehicle that's still years away.Slate Truck – Could a Simple Electric Pickup Change Off-Roading? – JD sees potential for Slate's customizable electric truck to become an accessible entry point for electric off-roading.🔥 Hyundai Boulder Concept Challenges Traditional Off-Road SUVs – Hyundai's body-on-frame concept features 37-inch tires, unusual cargo access, and aggressive styling aimed at the Wrangler and Bronco market.Hyundai's New Body-on-Frame Platform and Midsize Pickup Plans – Hyundai's plans for an American-market pickup raise questions about whether a production off-road SUV could follow.🔥 Hyundai and Kia Patent a Magnetic Modular Hardtop System – The crew questions whether magnets can actually make hardtop installation easier.Hyundai CRATER Concept Explores a Different Kind of Off-Road Vehicle – From unconventional styling and lighting to the interior and practical trail features, the group picks apart Hyundai's futuristic design.📅 Events and ResourcesTrail Hero 2026 – September 28–October 3, UtahSEMA Show 2026 – November 3–6, Las Vegas📞 Get involved!Leave us a voicemail! Call 719-408-0132 to be featured on the show.Write a review! Review The Trailhead on Apple Podcasts|Follow us on Instagram! @thetrailheadpodcastVisit the Site: The Trailhead NetworkTrailhead Gear (Shirts & More): ShopDiscounts for Trailheads!TYRI Offroad Lights — Use code TRAILHEAD15 for 15% off.

The Trailhead is back for Season 5, and JD has some big news to share with Bryan, Calvin, and Joe! After a year of major life changes, a wild recovery at Trail Hero, and an insurance decision that officially ended the road for his beloved yellow Jeep Wrangler JK, JD finally reveals what he bought to replace it. The crew wastes absolutely no time roasting his new rig, debating everything from 33-inch tires and suspension upgrades to winch bumpers, off-road lighting, and whether he really needs 40s. JD shares why he passed on the Ford Bronco, what his CarMax buying experience was like, and the embarrassing mistake he made on his first trail ride with the new rig. Plus, the guys start throwing out names for it, leaving one very important question for the Trailheads: What should JD call it?📍 Trails and DestinationsJohn's Trail, Sand Mountain OHV Area, UtahSlaughterhouse Road (Slaughterhouse Gulch), Colorado🛠️ Gear and ToolsFalken Wildpeak Off-Road TiresTYRI Offroad LED LightingRock Slide Engineering Gladiator Step SlidersRPM Steering & Suspension🚙 Community ShoutoutsBryan: Beatrice JKU the LunchboxCalvin: SRG OffroadJD: MeAndMyYellowJKJoe: Mechanic_JKKeenan Campbell: AlphaFoxtrotJKUMatt's Off Road RecoveryNathan the unpaid intern aka MudhornGladiatorRPM Steering & Suspension🌎 Advocacy & ConservationUtah Public Lands Alliance (UPLA)BlueRibbon Coalition📅 Events and ResourcesTrail Hero 2026Easter Jeep Safari (EJS)SEMA Show 2026CarMax MaxCare Extended Service PlansTrails Offroad📞 Get involved!Leave us a voicemail! Call 719-408-0132 to be featured on the show.Write a review! Help support The Trailhead by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts.Follow us on Instagram! @thetrailheadpodcastVisit the Site: The Trailhead NetworkTrailhead Gear (Shirts & More): Shop HereDiscounts for Trailheads!TYRI Offroad Lights — Use code TRAILHEAD15 for 15% off.

Recorded at the start of July 2026, this episode catches JD at a very specific moment: the yellow JK had been declared a loss, the insurance process was still playing out, and nobody knew what would replace it. JD is joined by Bryan, Joe, Calvin, and Keenan to work through the options—from a Jeep Wrangler JLU Rubicon to a Jeep Gladiator JT—and what makes sense for a future focused more on camping and overlanding without giving up the ability to hit harder trails like Sand Hollow. The crew debates the 3.6L versus EcoDiesel, rooftop tents versus off-road trailers, JK simplicity versus the newer JL platform, suspension, tire size, build strategy, and whether JD has finally outgrown the two-door Jeep life. More importantly, they dig into how you should actually approach an off-road build when you get the rare chance to start over from scratch. We held this episode until now because the replacement-Jeep saga finally has a completion arc—making it a chance to go back to the moment before anyone knew how the story would end.📍 Trails and DestinationsSand Hollow State Park, Utah🛠️ Gear and Tools — Podcast VersionAlpine i509-WRA-JK 9-inch Restyle ReceiverLinksWell Wrangler JL / Gladiator JT T-Style XL RadioStinger HEIGH10+ Jeep Wrangler JK Radio SystemRockford Fosgate Car SpeakersKICKER Jeep Wrangler Audio Upgrade SystemOverland Vehicle Systems Roof Top Tents23ZERO Roof Top TentsThule Roof Top TentsOld Man Emu Jeep JK Coil SpringsAir Lift 1000 Load-Leveling Air SpringsRock Krawler 3.5-inch Adventure Mid-Arm JL SuspensionRPM JL Wrangler 3.5-inch Ultimate Aluminum Mid-Arm Lift KitREDARC Rogue RedVision Power Management SystemVictron Orion XS DC-DC Battery ChargerTimbren 3,500-lb HD Axle-Less Trailer SuspensionNitto Trail Grappler M/THarker Outdoors Jeep Gladiator CamperTYRI Off-Road LED Lighting🚙 Community ShoutoutsBryan: Beatrice JKU the Lunchbox / @init2builditCalvin: SRG Offroad / @srgoffroadJD: MeAndMyYellowJKJoe: Mechanic_JKKeenan Campbell: @alphafoxtrotjku🌎 Advocacy & ConservationBlueRibbon CoalitionUtah Public Lands Alliance📰 News TopicsNo dedicated news segment this time—the Jeep replacement discussion took over the show.📅 Events and ResourcesOverland Expo WestTrails Offroad📞 Get involved!Leave us a voicemail! Call 719-408-0132 to be featured on the show.Write a review! Review The Trailhead on Apple PodcastsFollow us on Instagram! @thetrailheadpodcastVisit the Site: The Trailhead NetworkTrailhead Gear: Shirts & MoreDiscounts for Trailheads!TYRI Offroad Lights — Use code TRAILHEAD15 for 15% off

JD and Calvin are joined by Kerry Garrison of Trail Traveler to talk about Rosetta Maps, a camping resource tool Kerry built after getting fed up with outdated, inaccurate, and sometimes illegal dispersed camping information. Rosetta Maps brings dispersed camping, campgrounds, public-land data, weather, wildfire information, GPX tracks, and other trip-planning tools into one place. The conversation gets into how Kerry is trying to keep bad data out of the system, how Rosetta Maps works alongside tools like Trails Offroad, Gaia GPS, and onX, and why he doesn’t see it as another navigation app. They also talk about government data accuracy, MVUM information, user submissions, private campsites, and what Kerry wants to build next. If you’ve ever planned an overlanding or camping trip and wondered why it takes so many different apps, this episode is for you.📍 Trails and DestinationsThe Black Hills, South DakotaFlat Tops, ColoradoAdams Lake, Colorado – Flat TopsCrescent Lake, Colorado – Flat TopsLoch Lomond, ColoradoGordon Gulch, ColoradoUpper Geneva Creek, Colorado🛠️ Gear and ToolsRosettaMapsTrails OffroadGaia GPSonX OffroadiOverlanderThe DyrtCampendiumAllTrailsWatch DutyGarmin BaseCampGoogle MapsStarlink🚙 Community ShoutoutsCalvin: SRG OffroadJD: MeAndMyYellowJKKerry Garrison the Trail Traveler🌎 Advocacy & ConservationTread Lightly!Leave No TraceU.S. Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map DataBlueRibbon Coalition📰 News TopicsRosettaMaps LaunchExpanded Forest Service MVUM Data and Vehicle Class Information📅 Events and ResourcesRosettaMaps – Camping and Public-Land PlanningRosettaMaps Free & Pro PlansTrail TravelerRecreation.govU.S. Forest Service MVUM DataNational Weather Service📞 Get Involved!Leave us a voicemail! Call 719-408-0132 to be featured on the show.Write a review! Review The Trailhead on Apple PodcastsFollow us on Instagram! @thetrailheadpodcastVisit The Trailhead Network: TheTrailheadNetwork.comTrailhead Gear – Shirts & More: Trailhead ShopRosetta Maps: Get 20% off a Pro subscription with code TRAILHEAD — RosettaMaps PricingTYRI Offroad Lights: Use code TRAILHEAD15 for 15% off — TYRI Lights